Gabriel Faust
"Where is the purity in this court of souls? ...Here it lies." - Shiroi Gabriel "Shiroi" Faust XIII is a Shinigami, Captain of the First Division, Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Heir to the Noble Faust Family. He is known by many titles, including Gabriel the Purifier, Gabriel the White, The Butcher, and the Lonely Commander. Story Youngest son to the legendary and recently deceased Leviticus Faust XII, Gabriel Faust is the heir to a legacy lasting for millennia. For the majority of his early career, the name "Faust" overshadowed everything he did, leaving him to take the nickname "Shiroi" to try and deflect the constant attention his status as one of the higher ranking nobles gave him. Thrown into command from the moment he entered the Gotei during the 1st Siege due to a hollow attack wounding his Vice-Captain, Shiroi quickly moved up the ranks in the 6th, later on leveraging off the experience to become the Vice-Captain of the 12th. Shortly thereafter, his captain died in the battle of Hueco Mundo leaving him in control of a division once again. After distinguishing himself in the war in Hueco Mundo and being called to fill the gap left by those who died in Masaru's final attack, Shiroi became captain; a reign which was cut short by the Mask War. As a noble with a career distinguished by his harsh criticism for his soldiers' lack of discipline and his merciless tactics, it was a surprise to everyone when he and his division joined the rebel forces. It is recognized that without his help, the rebel movement would have most likely been crushed quickly, but also that his presence and firm commitment to avoid killing other shinigami that helped the Gotei to survive the internal turmoil. Upon the final fight with one of the last surviving warriors of Masaru's fabled captains, Seisatsu Kuragari, Shiroi's place in history was cemented; although what that place exactly is remains hotly contested. In the years after the revelation of the vizard conspiracy, the Central 46 has launched an extensive campaign to paint their new Commander as a hero who perceived the vizard conspiracy first and heroically put his division and his reputation on the line to uncover the corruption that had rotted the Gotei to its core. Members of the Gotei from that era have a view that is far less kind, often accusing Shiroi of taking advantage of the rebellion for his own gain and bringing an end to Masaru's dream of a world where Vizards and shinigami can peacefully co-exist. Regardless of the debate surrounding the Mask War, the continued existence of the Gotei 13 can largely be attributed to Faust's commitment to keeping it alive, often through sheer force of will. The departure and death of many Captains during the Mask War left the majority of the divisions headless and helpless. Taking the responsibility himself, Shiroi retreated into his offices giving out orders and filling in the gaps in the Gotei personally. For most of his 500 years of service, he emerged from the 1st only to attend his Vice-Captain's funeral, to train potential Captain candidates (albeit mercilessly) and to attend the funeral of his father. The years of toil have had their effect, both on Seireitei and on Faust himself. Soul Society has emerged from its dark age as strong as it ever has been, with its pristine buildings and shining walls rebuilt. The Academy has had a surge of new recruits as the title of shinigami once again has honor and glory attached to it, and many promising shinigami are poised to take the empty captain seats left from the Mask War. Only those few remaining from the era of the Mask War who remember the hard times. The one reminder of the wound of that time is the Commander. His behavior has grown increasingly erratic as of late, especially after the death of his father, and recruits to the 1st division have slowed down to a trickle as the tests to get in have become progressively difficult to the point where they are considered nearly impossible. Shiroi has become a recluse, a victim of his own incredible "success", and it seems his only remaining friend is his former Vice-Captain and constant companion Ritoru Furousha who he has known since his graduation from the Academy centuries ago. Appearance Piercing grey eyes and tall stature make Shiroi an imposing person on the best of days as his looming presence has long been synonymous with instant death in his term as Captain of the 12th. His long shock white hair framing his increasingly pale complexion gained from spending many sleepless nights obsessing over Gotei politics and strategy give his face a look that would be almost effeminate if the illusion wasn't shattered by a scowl or dour expression. He is meticulous about appearances, and always keeps his hair and uniform in perfect order. A veteran of many wars, Shiroi is riddled with scars, especially on his right arm from hand to shoulder which is nearly more scar than skin. He tends to wear a plated gauntlet to cover it. This, his black and white uniform and his black hair ornaments signifying his status as patriarch of House Faust tend to make him look almost like a living chessboard. Personality Meticulous, exacting and often brilliant, Shiroi was granted with a rare combination of talent that was pushed to its maximum potential from his spoiled early years in Soul Society. Trained as a tactician by the best tutors Soul Society had to offer, Shiroi put his talents to good use: first in the 6th and then later in the 12th. His training has given him an innate ability to find weaknesses in ideas and people. While this critical eye is useful on the battlefield, it tends to push people away in his personal life as his quick temper leads him to pick people apart where they are most vulnerable. Behind all of this is a broad concern with the people of Rukongai and a constant desire to reform Soul Society into a place worth sending souls to. He views his talents, wealth and high birth as a burden and a responsibility as he considers himself unworthy of such things; preferring to use what gifts he has to benefit the people whose backs his wealth is borne upon. Those that can endure his sharp tongue often find themselves admiring the purity of his ideals. Zanpakutou Sealed Form Ekirei, one of the most terrifying swords known, is said to be able to rip souls out of their bodies and make grotesque mockeries of what they once were. Its appearance is unassuming as it sits in a plain black scabbard without ornamentation. The sword itself is far longer than an average sword to suit its wielder's large proportions with metal that is slightly tinted compared to ordinary steel. Zanpakutou Spirit A hazy distorted reflection of Shiroi and the world around him. On one side, ruin; on the other, utopia. Shikai :Name: Ekirei Command: "Teach them to fear, Ekirei!" Appearance: Shiroi's sword melts into an amorphous ebony blob about the size of a fist that moves according to Shiroi's will. Absolute Manipulation: Shiroi can control the properties within the protoplasm that he wields. These include the shape, size, density and phase of the matter. Form changes require Spiritual Pressure, and the greater the change or speed of the change, the greater the cost. Assumption: 'Upon physical contact with another shikai (or shikai level ability in the case of Hollows and other creatures), Ekirei can gain an impression of the weapon held by the enemy and mimic it. Ekirei must assume the same shape of the other shikai in order to use the abilities of the mimicked person. The copy is imperfect to the original, however, and Shiroi must have a 25% greater Connection than the person he is copying to use it at their level. Ekirei cannot copy more than one person simultaneously, and cannot use the assumed ability it is in a form other than a replica of the shikai. Hence, Absolute Manipulation and Assumption cannot be used simultaneously. Bankai :'Name: Apotheosis Form: The liquid metal of Ekirei flows out of its sheath and over Shiroi's body as if it were a second skin, incorporating his flesh into its dark matter. As Ekirei flows into Shiroi's eyes and mouth, its energy is released in a pale white flash like a miniature supernova. When the release is finished all that is left is a black statue in the rough form of Shiroi that floats several feet off of the ground. It has no eyes and no mouth and the air around it appears to warp slightly. Dust and rocks nearby have a tendency of falling into orbit around the obsidian creature. Absolution: While in bankai, Shiroi has mastery over the properties that now compose his own flesh. He may change his size, shape, density, weight, conductivity and acidic properties at his own discretion. While he may resist damage with these changes, he cannot completely nullify it as the metal and his flesh are one. As before, the speed and extent of these changes are dependent on the amount of reiatsu poured into the change as well as the connection. As connection increases, so does the efficiency of his ability to adapt. Obliteration Sphere: With the expenditure of 15% of Shiroi's reiatsu, Shiroi may open a palm and manifest a dimly glowing white sphere of antimatter roughly the size of a fist from it. This sphere, when fired travels at its target hungrily. It may alter its course slightly as it responds to the mental prodding of its creator but the speed at which it travels makes it impossible to completely change direction without detonating. When matter touches the sphere it is instantly destroyed to an extent equal to the size of the sphere, but the energy from the reaction is not. The resulting power manifests itself as an explosion of white nuclear fire that leaves an area devastated. The explosion may raze a small city block, but it can be focused to the size of a city circle the size of an opponent as well. Obviously, considering the possible collateral damage of such an attack, it must be used with precision or not at all. Withering Presence: By spending 1% of his reiatsu a round, Shiroi may emit a radius of radiation that weakens the strong and melts the weak. The radiation is invisible but its presence can be felt as hair and teeth begin to fall out, old wounds begin to open and strength begins to fade. Individuals without spiritual pressure simply collapse into a pile of organic sludge. The radiation effects all targets equally by dealing 2% of Shiroi's reiatsu in damage a round and degenerating all stats by 1% of Shiroi's total reiatsu per round effected, capping at 5 rounds after which the degeneration is maintained but not increased. The damage may be healed but not stopped as the effect is persistent. The radius of the attack is a minimum of 30 feet at 30,000 connection and is able to be increased by 1 foot per 1000 connection. It cannot be controlled and as such hits friend and foe alike. There is one exception to this: If an ally has united front or higher with Shiroi, he may manage to render the radiation harmless to those targets. The damage done from the attack is lingering, but the radiation itself disappears once Shiroi descends from Bankai state. Doppelganger: This slot can be filled with another person's single Bankai attack (or an attack of equivalent power) and ability with the costs and drawbacks of the attack and ability being copied. The ability and slot force Ekirei to take the form of the person it is copying and as such, the ability being copied takes the place of Ekirei's shape changing abilities just as the attack being copied occupies this slot. The impression of an attack can be recalled for later use, but Shiroi can only have one impression at a time. Copying a new impression replaces his current one. Trivia Before becoming a shinigami, Shiroi was a powerful hollow known as the Sin Eater and was purified by the Faust patriarch - his father. Gallery Category:Shinigami Category:Captains Category:Bankai Users Category:First Division Category:Nobles